OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/18/12 -- The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced an investment in YOUi Labs from the National Research Council of Canada. YOUi Labs is an innovative Canadian firm that develops next-generation technology to improve consumer electronic devices.

"The Government of Canada is investing in science and technology to create good jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians," said the Honourable Gary Goodyear.

YOUi Labs Inc. will receive up to $150,000 from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) to create software development kits for the international smart devices and interactive TV markets. The kits are used to improve the graphic quality and user experience of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets and smartTV. The company will also hire three new technical employees for this project.

"NRC-IRAP has been an incredible source of support and has enabled us to build a world-class team and product," said Jason Flick, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of YOUi Labs. "This has allowed the product to be recently licensed to some of the world's biggest brands in four different countries."

Founded in 2006, YOUi Labs is a leading provider of natural user interface technology and services that enable manufacturers of smartphones, tablets and consumer electronics to differentiate themselves through their user interface. Since 2006, YOUi Labs has doubled in size each year and continues to grow and create jobs. NRC-IRAP has been working with the company since May 2009.

Economic Action Plan 2012 provides substantial direct support for research and development and business innovation, leading to job creation, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians. Of this investment, an additional $110 million is allocated to NRC-IRAP annually to expand the program's reach and services for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada.